My new name is idiot or in computer speak - id IO t

Well, I'm an idiot. Didn't realize it until after I had my wife pick me up from work because I couldn't get my 85 VF500F started. I had power everywhere, but once I press the start button, nothing. On the dash the oil light was lit, nothing else. If you already know what's wrong, don't say anything. So, I got home and pulled out my trusty repair manual and started looking through everything (troubleshooting, schematics, etc) and then it hit me. This morning after parking the bike on a slight incline, I had pressed the gearshift down trying to put it into gear. I totally forgot that I had done that 10 hours earlier. Looks like it didn't make it into gear and wasn't totally in neutral for the neutral light to be on. According to the schematic, looks like it has to be in neutral or have the clutch in for the starting circuit to work. :frusty:

Have to wait until tomorrow to see if I'm correct or not.

 

Doh! I hope you're right.

 

What? That I'm an idiot or my other theory?:heh:

 

You are not an idiot, you bought a cool bike! (even if you paid a little too much for it maybe...).

 

I paid less than $600 for it. Glad someone else thinks I'm not an idiot. Now if I could just get my kids to believe that as well...

 

Once in a while on my Ninja, I'll hit the starter button to have nothing happen, and forget that I hit the kill switch. It won't even crank on that bike, with the kill switch hit. I think on the Honda, it will crank, but not start.

 

Never got a chance to post an update this morning. It was what I thought, the bike wasn't in neutral. As soon as I put it in neutral, the bike started.

 

We have all done it....only a matter of time until I decide to throw my bike on the ground again and will most likely look for my key for for an hour before I realize it is in my hand within the next month.

 

Yep, I've torn the garage apart looking for my ratchet. Swearing at everything in sight. Just as I'm about to head to the store to buy another, my 5yo son points out it's in my back pocket.:crazy:

 

1. The Stupidity Judges only score this a 1.4 on a scale of ten. (The East German judges score of 2.5 was thrown out.) May this be the biggest mistake we all make this week/month/year. I do things worse than that as a warm-up for when I'm preparing to do something monumentally stupid. (Let's not discuss how frequently!)
2. To reinforce Michael E's point, at least you're doing it on a drop-dead gorgeous classic. Tragically stupic would be forgetting to push in the clutch while trying to start a rusting Yugo.

 

Dont feel bad....... I had a yamaha that had an intermittent problem, it would start but it died everytime I put it into gear......turned out that you had to have the kick stand up or it would die.


I drove 4 hours to check out why my sisters car wouldnt start........it was in reverse

 

The bright green neutral light is your friend.

 

SIX HUNDRED BUCKS! awesome! now that it's running, enjoy!

 

Thanks everyone. Guess I'm not the only idiot around. I'm loving the bike. Can't believe that I never thought of getting one sooner. One benefit of living in the Pacific Northwest, lots and lots of twisty roads.:biggrin:

I love how versatile the bike is. If I want to go easy, it can do it and if I want to have fun, it can REALLY do it. Can't wait to go out on a ride with some friends who also have sport bikes.